21 Starlink satellites are launched from Cape Canaveral on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket

SpaceX successfully launched a new batch of 21 Starlink V2 Mini satellites into low Earth orbit on Tuesday afternoon, further expanding its global satellite internet network. The launch took place at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, with liftoff occurring at precisely 1:53 p.m. EST (1853 UTC) from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40). Among the deployed satellites, 13 are equipped with cutting-edge Direct to Cell (DTC) capabilities, which will enable enhanced communication services directly to mobile devices without the need for traditional ground-based cell towers.

Leading up to the launch, meteorologists from the 45th Weather Squadron at Patrick Space Force Base predicted a 95% chance of favorable weather conditions for both the primary launch window on Tuesday and the backup opportunity on Wednesday. The weather team noted that while high temperatures reaching the 80-degree mark could generate some sea breeze activity, only isolated low-topped showers were expected to develop in the afternoon. The primary weather concern identified was the Cumulus Cloud Rule, but it was considered a minimal risk for launch.

Tuesday’s mission utilized a flight-proven Falcon 9 first-stage booster, designated B1077, which had already completed 17 successful missions before this launch. Previous flights of this booster included significant missions such as Crew-5, CRS-28, NG-20, and GPS 3 SV06. Just over eight minutes after liftoff, the booster made a controlled descent back to Earth, successfully landing on the autonomous droneship ‘Just Read the Instructions’ stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. This marked the 109th landing for this particular droneship and an impressive 408th overall booster recovery for SpaceX, further demonstrating the company’s continued success in reusability and cost-effective spaceflight.

In a high-profile moment during the Super Bowl broadcast on Sunday, T-Mobile and SpaceX aired a commercial highlighting the beta testing phase of the Direct to Cell service in the United States. The ad emphasized that users across different mobile networks-not just T-Mobile customers-could sign up for the beta test, showcasing the broad accessibility of the new satellite-based communication technology. To date, SpaceX has successfully launched over 450 Starlink satellites equipped with Direct to Cell functionality, aiming to provide seamless connectivity in remote and underserved areas worldwide.

Meanwhile, SpaceX also announced a significant expansion of its Starlink internet service by adding Bhutan to its growing list of covered regions. With this addition, Bhutan becomes the 121st recognized “country, territory, or market” where Starlink’s high-speed satellite internet is now available. This milestone further solidifies SpaceX’s commitment to global internet accessibility, bridging the digital divide for communities with limited access to traditional broadband services.